Nagareyama Line


The Nagareyama Line is a commuter rail line in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, operated by Ryutetsu between Mabashi Station in Matsudo and Nagareyama Station in Nagareyama. The line and the operator company was called the Sōbu Nagareyama Line and Sōbu Nagareyama Electric Railway respectively until the renaming on August 1, 2008. The present line name was the most popular short name of the line. It was also called Ryūden.
This is the only line Ryūtetsu operates, making the company unique for being an independent railway operator with just a single 5.7 km line and no major subsidiary businesses. The short line functions as a link between the centre of the city of Nagareyama and the East Japan Railway Company Jōban Line. However, after the opening of the Tsukuba Express on August 24, 2005, ridership fell sharply. Suica and PASMO contactless smart cards cannot be used, and Ryūtetsu reportedly has no plans to introduce the system on the line.

Basic data

The company was incorporated on November 7, 1913 as Nagareyama Light Railway and opened a gauge railway on March 14, 1916. The company renamed Nagareyama Railway in November 1922 and rebuilt the railway track to gauge in 1924.
The company name was again changed to Nagareyama Electric Railway in 1949, to Nagareyama Electric Railway in 1967, to Sōbu Nagareyama Electric Railway in 1971 and to Ryūtetsu in 2008.

Stations

All stations are in Chiba Prefecture.